Solar Flare: A Jacob and Bella Story
by Skillets
Summary: What would happen if Edward left in New Moon, but never returned? Would Bella ever move on? As the title implies, this fic centers on Bella and Jacob's relationship now that Edward is out of the picture
1. The Phone Call

**Author's Note: Okay, I actually wrote it. Though I am not in the least bit a **_**Twilight **_**fan, I decided to write this fanfic. I hope you like it. Sorry about the length, they'll get longer later, I promise. **

"Hello," he breathed heavily into the phone, a bit irked at the interruption. Then his face sank. "He's not here," he said after a couple of seconds. "He's at the funeral."

Suddenly, I said: "Who is it Jake?" I said it somewhat too loudly, but I was burning with intense curiosity. Could it be? I haven't spoken to him in months. Why would he call now? And why would he not ask for me?

"Yeah," Jacob said quietly, his eyes burning holes into mine. "It's her."

"Jake, who is it?" He wouldn't comply, and he slowly moved the phone up out of my reach. I felt a rush of anger. "Give me the phone!" I shouted, snapping it out of his hands. Before he could protest I pressed the device against my ear and said: "Hello? Hello? Who's there? It's me, Bella. Hello."

No answer. I couldn't even hear breathing on the other side of the line. _It must be him_, I thought. _Who else doesn't need to breathe?_ Suddenly, I heard the dial tone and my heart sank.

He hung up on me. I hadn't even had a chance to hear his voice, just one last time; his real voice this time. That voice that nearly drove me to my death; the voice I needed to hear in order to just make it through one more day… was gone. This time, it was for good.

Jacob was talking to me, but I was barely listening. Instead, I felt the World come crashing down around me. I felt like I was going to throw up.

"Bells," he said. "You okay?"

"Fine," I lied. "Tell Alice that I'm sorry, but I can't come down and say goodbye right now." The thought of even glancing at someone who held such a strong connection to… _him_… It was unbearable.

"Are you sick?" Jacob asked. His voice had a sharp edge to it that I have come to associate with worry. Maybe he could see how pale I was, more so than usual.

"Just a really bad headache," I said… and heartache. No, it was more than an ache. It felt like my heart had snapped in two. Tears threatened to burst from my eyes, but I couldn't cry in front of Jacob. So I just said: "See you in the morning."

"You sure you're okay?" I nodded slightly. I could still see he was worried about me. Maybe this phone call had been too much for me? After all, earlier that day I had jumped off a cliff. He was probably afraid that I would try to do something reckless again.

"You can stay until Charlie gets back," I offered him. "But I just really need to be alone right now." He nodded and walked out the kitchen door. As soon as he was gone I dashed up the stairs and into my room, slamming the door shut. With my back against the door, tears started to stream from my eyes. I slowly slid down the door, sobbing. When I reached the floor, I wrapped my arms around my knees and watched the World sway before me.

…

**So, what do you think? Now that Edward is gone for good, what will happen with Bella? Will she be even more reckless, or will she finally change? Will she ever be the same again? Can she ever find love in the arms of another? Find out. **

**Next Chapter: Bella awakens to her new life without Edward, and without jumping off of anymore cliffs. How can she function without hearing the sound of her true love's voice? And will Jacob try and make a move again, and will he be successful? **


	2. My New Life

**Author's Note: Okay, so Bella now has to learn how to live without Edward. Hopefully, she's better than she was in _New Moon_. Let's see how she's doing… **

Days had gone by… I was sitting at my computer, staring at the monitor; wracking my brain for words… anything, to type. I was trying to write an email, but I didn't know what to say. I hadn't seen Alice since the night she visited me. And I hadn't heard… _his_… voice for an even longer amount of time.

"No!" I said aloud. I promised that I would never endanger myself for the sake of hearing his voice again. Last time, I went too far and had almost died. I couldn't do that to Charlie, to Jacob.

…To Edward…

"No! I will not think about it!" I shouted, tearing myself away from the desk. I ran to the bathroom and turned on the faucet to the sink. I splashed cool water on my face, then gently dabbed it with a towel. That ought to wake me up. Sighing, I slumped back onto my chair and continued to gaze at the blank screen. Nothing...

Suddenly, an idea popped into my head. I reached for the phone and dialed a number I knew by heart. I waited for a few minutes, drumming my fingers on the desk. Then a familiar voice said: "Hello?"

"Hey Jake," I said. "It's me."

"Bella?" He said, his voice perking up. I hadn't spoken to him in days, he was probably worried sick. "How are you?"

"Fine," I lied. "So, what are you up to?"

"Nothing much, just got back from patrolling the woods."

"And how was it? The woods I mean. Was there anything unusual?"

He paused for what felt like an eternity. "No," he said at last. "Nothing much; no sign of your bloodsuckers at least…"

Ouch. Just the mention of his species name hurt.

"Don't think of it!" I whispered sharply to myself.

"What'd you say?" Jacob asked.

"Nothing," I said. "Just talking to myself…"

"So, Bella…" He began carefully. "You doing anything tonight?"

"Not really," I said, glancing at my computer.

"Me either," he said.

"Cool…" He paused for a couple of seconds, then I heard an intake of breath as if he were about to say something, but then thought better of it. I finally put him out of his misery. "Okay, let's do something tonight," I said. I hurried on before he could reply. "I mean, we're both bored, with nothing to do. So… let's go see a movie or something."

"Wow," he said. "You're pretty lively tonight." I could almost hear his smile. "Why the big change?"

I inhaled deeply. "Let's just say I thought some things over and had a change of heart."

"I'll say." This time I smiled.

"So, you'll be picking me up around…" I prompted him, trying in vain to stifle my chuckle.

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes," he said quickly. He sounded mortified. I nearly fell off of my chair laughing, but then I remembered.

"You're not going on a date," I told myself. "We're just friends." But I knew I was not just a friend to Jacob. I sighed again. What could I do? I needed to be around Jacob, or I might just try to kill myself again. I felt awful, like I was using him for my own personal gain. But wasn't I? The loud growl of an approaching motorcycle hit my ears._ Great_, I thought. _Charlie's going to kill me_.

I grabbed my motorcycle jacket and headed downstairs. Charlie met me in the living room. Before I could even speak he said: "You are not riding that motorcycle."

I spied Jacob grinning sheepishly at the front door. I looked back at Charlie and saw fear and determination shining in his eyes. He had nearly lost a daughter, though he had no knowledge of the fact. Strangely, I felt an urge to go easy on him… just for this night.

"Okay," I said. "We can take the truck." I looked at Jacob. His eyes met mine with complete understanding.

"I was just about to say the same thing," he said. "A motorcycle is far too dangerous. Remember what happened last time?" Charlie looked relieved and a bit confused. Jacob continued: "May I drive?"

"Sure," I said. We headed to the garage. At the last second I turned around and said: "Bye Dad." I thought I saw a tear forming in the corner of his eye, but I decided against it and focused my full attention on my friend.

"So what movie do you want to see?" He said as he started the car. I shrugged. "Yeah," he continued. "I don't know what's playing either."

"Let's go to the theater and find out." When we got there, nothing really piqued our interest. Since neither I nor Jacob wanted to see a so called "chick flick" we decided on a lame action movie about Greek Gods instead. As we sat in the theater I remembered the last movie I saw with Jacob. I didn't want him to try to hold my hand again so I occupied both of them with a drink and a snack respectively. Jacob didn't mind as he was busy munching away on the three bags of popcorn he had in his lap. I remembered that he had to eat a lot nowadays, to keep up his wolf strength.

After a few hours of sitting in the dark watching meaningless light flicker on and off the large screen in front of us, we were finally released.

"So?" Jacob asked as we walked back to the truck. "What did you think of the movie?"

"I thought it was good. It had lots of pointless violence."

"Oh yes," he said. "My favorite type of violence…" I giggled.

"Yeah, and then what's his name? Perseus, and that girl had to get all romantic." I rolled my eyes. Ugh. Why did everything have to have romance in it? It reminded me too much of things I'd rather forget. We both got into the truck.

"What?" Jacob said. "I like romance."

"You only like it when it happens to you," I said playfully, but then he soured the mood.

"And is it happening to me?" He asked, his eyes boring deep into mine. "Right now?"

I broke his gaze. It did seem suspiciously like we were on a date "Don't be silly," I said. "We're just two friends going to the movies together… Just friends..."

"Okay Bella," he said. "Just friends… But I need to know, will it ever be more than that?" My gaze remained locked to the side; I was becoming fixated on a muddy puddle on the sidewalk. Then I braved myself to look in his eyes.

"Jake…" I began.

"No, Bella, think long and hard about this, I need to know if there's hope or if I should just give up right now."

"It may take all night," I offered weakly.

He gave a wan smile. "Then I'd be willing to wait right here in this truck until you respond."

"Charlie won't like that much."

"Bella…"

"I don't know, Jake, I just don't know." Immediately, his face fell. I continued on, though. "It's too soon to tell just yet. I'll probably know in a couple months or so. Please Jake, I just don't know."

He sat there at the wheel for the longest time, his face grim. "Okay," he finally said. "I will wait for you to make your decision…" A mixture of relief and sadness hit me. He silently started the truck and we didn't speak a word to each other the whole ride long. The steady hum of the engine was the only noise. I wanted to cry.

When we got to my house and parked my truck in the garage, I almost didn't want to say goodbye. Then I turned around and gave Jacob a long hug, because I was just so grateful that he was in my life and that he didn't leave me even though I hadn't officially told him that I wanted him to stay.

He murmured in my ear: "I love you."

I broke away and walked into my house. However, I didn't want to leave him with nothing so he wouldn't think I was cold.

"I'm sorry," I said. Then I closed the door.

…

**So, Bella seems to be patching up all her relationships and everything seems good. But will it last? And will she ever choose Jacob? **

**Next Chapter: Jacob puts on a shirt. Find out why… **


	3. The Dropout

**Author's Note: Let's find out why Jacob has suddenly decided to wear a shirt…**

The next day found me at the beach trying to persuade Jacob to come to my side of an argument, but he wouldn't relent.

"Jake," I begged. "You can't drop out of high school."

"It's too late," he said. "Besides, you know I can't keep up my grades while simultaneously protecting you from the Redhead bloodsucker and her minions." The mention of Vampires gave me a bit of a pause, but then I continued on strong.

"No, Jake. You have to go back. What's your future going to be if you never graduate from high school?"

"You mean what's _our_ future gonna be?" He said playfully, grinning. I sighed. May as well mention it...

"Yes," I said. "I'm not ready to date yet. But, sometime down the road, when I am, do you think I would choose a guy that's less educated than me. What would my parents say?"

He paused, deep in thought. "I'll think of something," he said after a while. I just gritted my teeth.

"No Jake," I said. "You either go back, or get rich quick."

"Fine!" He snapped. "I'll get a job, if that makes you happy!"

"Whatever." I walked away, fuming. How dare he snap at me?

"Bells…" He began, but I ignored him. I'll have the last laugh when he's stuck working at McDonald's for the rest of his life. However, I was totally unprepared for the job he did get. I went by his place again later that evening, ready to rub his own failure in his face, when the sign next to his garage stopped me in my tracks.

"What the—" I said, confusion sweeping over me.

The sign read: Jake's Repair Shop.

"Like it Bella," Jacob said as he walked up to the sign. Stopping and giving me a triumphant smile.

"That's not a real job!" I exclaimed, shaking my head in disbelief.

"Au contraire Bella, I already made fifty bucks today alone."

"But how are you going to run this on your own, with absolutely no knowledge of business?"

"My dad will help me. Turns out he went to college and got a business degree."

"But… Um…" I had nothing to say to that.

"I'll work out of my garage 'till I save up enough money to buy my own place," he continued. "It's perfect."

"What about employees?" I said. "Surely your dad won't be able to help you repair anything?"

"That's been taken care of already," he smiled. "All the other Wolves are gonna work for me. We'll split the pay, that way they'll get some income too. It'll be like a pack job." I could not believe this. "What?" He asked, snickering. "Upset that you can't say 'I told you so' anymore?"

"No…" I felt like growling.

"C'mon Bells, lighten up. Everything worked out." Or so it seemed…

"Fine," I said. "But if you're going to own your own repair shop you've got to wear a shirt…" He began to protest. "It's dangerous."

"Bella… I'm a werewolf."

"People will get suspicious."

"Okay," he said. "But you're gonna have to buy me new shirts if I have to wolf up suddenly."

"I'm okay with that." He rolled his eyes.

"Whatever…"

The next day I watched him and his pack work. It was almost like old times, only now I just got to sit in the corner while he labored away. It was actually kind of… fun… And I felt something that sort of resembled… happiness…

"How you doing over there Bells?" Jacob said as he tossed me an apple. I snapped out of my day dream just in time to catch it. I looked at him in confusion. "Lunch break," he said. "How 'bout we go to the beach?"

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," I said, taking a large bite of my apple. We headed to the beach, which was extremely close to his house. I loved this beach, even though I nearly died on it. It was where I truly felt at peace. It was almost better than—dare I say it— the meadow…_Almost_…

"Hey, Bella," Jacob said. "Can I take off my shirt now?" I nearly choked on my apple.

"No," I said, giggling. "You have to wear it for the rest of your life!" We both started cracking up. "It's not that funny," I said, but I couldn't stop.

Suddenly, I spotted a glint of red out in the ocean. I gasped and dropped my apple. Fear gripped me. Jacob stopped laughing, and stared at me intently. He glanced at the ocean, scanning it. Then he looked back at me.

"Let's go back inside," he said. I nodded, feeling nauseated. He led me into his house and onto the sofa.

Quill stuck his head through the doorway. "Pack meeting?" He said.

Jacob nodded slowly. "Pack meeting."

**Dun dun dun… I bet I don't have to tell you what the red thing in the ocean was. **

**Next Chapter: Jacob and Bella deal with the looming threat of Victoria. **


End file.
